Filed under: Defacements, Hacktivism, Security Articles
posted by D1m on 05 Jan 2007 04:07 pm
Website Defacements And Hacktivism + Question
In less than 200 words, I compiled very interesting information on the subjects of website defacing and hacktivism. Enough information is provided to you in order to answer my question which follows at the end. I would like to know your personal views.
Website defacement [2] is the substitution of an original home page by a system cracker/hacker. It is illegal in most countries as is considered an unauthorized computer access, data modification and denial of service. Crackers/hackers are usually defacing websites to spread messages and beliefs. Some of them are politically, socially and religiously motivated – given the term hacktivists – and some other just deface for the thrill.
A website defacement can create serious problems for companies as it they affects negatively their public image on the internet and in general. Victim companies may stop their transactions in order to repair the affected computer systems and thus lose money. It can also make their existing customers or potential future customers to lose faith in the company as it is evidence that their web server was broken into due to lack of security.
Hacktivism [1] is the act of hacking, or breaking into computer systems (including website defacements), usually to promote political, social and religious ideology – promoting expressive politics, free speech, human rights, or information ethics – and is not specifically motivated by malicious, curious or criminal intents.
What are your views on hacktivism with respect to website defacing? (Generally and legislationwise)
Sources:
OWASP
on 28 Jan 2007 at 8:53 pm 1.Nick Kritsilis said …
Actually it must be stopped by any means…
You can express your views or ideologies through the internet as there are a lot of internet places to do that.
However I dont think that somebody who has the technological skills to hack must do it for expressing his views. This is very magisterial manner of expressing your views.
on 06 Jan 2010 at 4:29 pm 2.Rashmi said …
look..ethically its wrong but when they(hackers) have to bring it to the attention of high officials all these forums are no good means as no one cares to read them and their -its just a bunch of people quarreling and debating to prove themselves right.
Take for example the defacement of SCO ..I mean not everybody would be knowing this- that even Microsoft the OS giant has stolen code from Linux though they would be ready to believe the other way around but after the defacement of SCO’s site it all suddenly became a big affair ..and here lies the difference..
It’s all about ‘getting your voice heard’